Kanwar yatra: Yogi Adityanath wants unlucky' trees pruned

Lucknow: With the onset of the Hindu month of “Saawan” form next week, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath has set his agenda clear.

The CM ordered pruning of “gular” (cluster fig) trees on Kanwariya routes since the shadow of these trees is considered inauspicious among Hindus.

This is the first time that such a decision has been taken by a chief minister.

Acharya Chintamani Joshi of Sanskrit Degree College said that gular, in fact, is known for its medicinal properties. “Maybe the chief minister ordered pruning of these trees as they grow to be very dense,” he added.

In another interesting development, the chief minister held a meeting to review the preparations for the Kanwariya yatra — the first ever held by a chief minister in the state. He directed all district magistrates to ensure that no film songs or vulgar songs are played during the yatra; the CM said only “bhajans” would be allowed to play.

The Kanwariyas are Shiva devotees, who travel on foot to various temples during Saawan, carrying water from the Ganges as offering to Lord Shiva.

Seven districts in western UP, Meerut, Hapur, Ghaziabad, Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli and Saharanpur, are known to be susceptible to communal violence during the Kanwariya yatras.

Meanwhile, the UP forest department has decided to plant 27 varieties of trees mentioned in astrological, mythological, “tantrik” and Ayurvedic scriptures, besides those mentioned in the Quran, Bible and Guru Granth Sahib

According to an official release, nine pamphlets, mentioning significance of trees in different religions, were earlier printed.

A pamphlet on “Masihi-Vatika” based on the Bible hails fig, poplar, castor-oil tree, mulberry, date palm, grapes, black mustard, tamarix, willow, grapes, aloe vera, heena, ber, pomegranate and narkat tree and describes their virtues. Fig leaves were used by Adam and Eve to cover their bodies.

Pamphlet on “Qurani Vriksha Vatika” refers to trees mentioned in the Quran like tulsi, date palm, olive, grapes, pomegranate, fig, peelu (shajre miswak), henna and babool.

“Guru Ke Bagh” brochure says peepal, reetha, sheesham and ber trees are significant in Sikh religion. The Tirthankar Jain brochure lists 24 trees representing 24 Jain Tirthankars. Each of the trees under which Tirthankars meditated and attained knowledge are called 'kevali’ trees and include banyan, chitwan, sal, chir pine, siras, nagkesar, kadamb, jambu, peepal, tendu, bel, baheda, mango, ashok, champa, maulshri, deodar, bamboo, tun, tilak and piyangu (mentioned in Jataka tales).

These trees will be planted in large number in various regions during the month-long tree plantation drive, which was inaugurated by the chief minister on Saturday.